Garbage disposal device



Feb. 5, 1963 H. JORDAN GARBAGE DISPOSAL DEVICE Filed Sept. 12. 1960 .JI MIS (1000,44,

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1 Krill/film United States Patent Ofilice 3,076,611 Patented Feb. 5, 1963 3,076,611 GARBAGE DISPOSAL DEVICE Hans Jordan, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor to Waste King Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 55,233 4 Claims. (Cl. 241-46) This invention relates generally to waste disposal devices or units for use in homes or public institutions or commercial establishments requiring ready disposition of food waste and other waste subject to rotary grinding.

More particularly, this invention relates to rotary table structures employed in waste grinders of the indicated nature having impeller means carried by the table structures and cooperating with surrounding stationary grind rings carried by the housings of the disposal devices.

One particular object of the invention is to provide in one embodiment a rotary table structure having improved impeller means of the type comprising grinding flippers pivoted upon the table and used to impel waste material against a surrounding grind ring of improved design. Another particular object of the invention is to provide improved grinding impeller means affording maximum efficiency for waste grinding.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved downfeed for delivering waste material to the grinding flippers of the rotary table structure and the surrounding grind ring. Another particular object of the invention is to provide an improved grind ring structure having teeth or grind lugs of a special design.

It has been discovered that the garbage downfeed may be readily provided as an integral part of the structure of an upper housing of the waste disposal device. In a preferred embodiment of the waste disposal device of the invention, the central portion of the upper housing, which is preferably a casting, is deformed inwardly to provide a substantially helical overhanging ledge on the inner face of the housing. This helical ledge extends around less than one-half of the circumference of the upper housing and preferably commences at the upper end of the central portion of the housing and continues to a point adjacent the lower end of the housing in the neighborhood of the underlying grind ring. The helical ledge slopes downwardly in the direction of rotation of the rotary table. It has been found that a helical ledge of the specified length provides an adequate rate of waste feed to the grinding surfaces.

The grind ring of the improved disposal device is clamped between an upper housing and a lower housing, with the diameter of the inner wall of the grind ring being no smaller than the internal diameter of the lower inner edge of the upper housing. The grind ring has a plurality of substantially vertical grind lugs on its inner wall, circumferentially spaced and extending upwardly from the lower end of the grind ring. Some of these lugs have a height substantially equal to the height of the grind ring, whileothers of the lugs have a height substantially less than the height of the ring. The inner faces of the several lugs are substantially vertical. The shorter lugs together define a discontinuous ledge with spaced interruptions on the inner wall of the grind rings.

The rotary table structure of the improved waste disposal device is placed within the surrounding grind ring with its upper annular edge being in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper ends of the shorter of the grind lugs carried by the grind ring. It has been discovered that effective life of the disposal unit and its efficiency may be remarkably improved where the grind ring of the foregoing improved design is used with a rotary table structure carrying grinding impeller means of a new design. The improved impeller means may be fixed to the table or may take form of grinding flippers which are pivoted to the upper face of the grind table adjacent its periphery. The impeller means, whether fixed or movable, have substantially vertical grinding edges at their outer ends. The flippers, which are the preferred form of the impeller means, are movable between a retracted position and a grinding position. The grinding edge of the impeller means is substantially parallel with, but spaced from the inner faces of the higher grind lugs of the grind ring. The upper ends of the grinding edges of the flippers or fixed impeller means are preferably in approximately the same horizontal plane as the upper ends of the higher grind lugs when the flippers are in their grinding positions.

The improved design of the grind ring and impeller means of the waste disposal device of the invention, including the vertical positioning of their grinding surfaces and the particular arrangement of their component parts, contributes to the longer life and improved efficiency of the disposal device, compared to similar disposal devices having nonvertical positioning of their grinding surfaces. The particular configuration and arrangement of components in the improved disposal device of the invention permit grinding at approximately three times the rate possible with an older model disposal unit lacking the particular positioning and design of components provided for in the improved device. The power requirement of the improved design is also significantly less.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawings and to the following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view principally in vertical section, but partly in elevation, showing an assembled and installed household waste disposal device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an upper housing of the waste disposal device of FIG. 1, illustrating deformation of the wall of the upper housing to provide a helical feeding ledge for directing waste into the grinding unit of the waste disposal device;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrowed line 33 of FIG. 1, providing a bottom view of the upper housing of FIG. 2, and illustrating in particular the helical overhanging ledge formed on the inner face of that housing;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing a rotary table and grinding flippers in plan view, with the housing and grind ring being illustrated in horizontal section;

FIG. 5 is principally a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken along line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a section of the grind ring of FIG. 4, and taken along line 77 of that figure.

With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a household waste disposal device 10, assembled and installed in suspended position from a kitchen sink bottom 12, utilizing a metallic suspending drainage sleeve 14 flanged at its upper end to be carried by the sink, and in turn supporting a resilient rubber suspending neck 16 through the medium of an appropriate positioning and suspension means 9, the latter means being later described in more detail.

The disposal device proper 10 is formed of a lower housing 18, and an upper housing 20, with an annular grind ring 22 clamped therebetween, and with a circular table 24 being disposed within the grind ring. The motor, not illustrated, is housed in a motor housing 26,

driving the circular table 24 through a vertically disposed shaft 28.

The upper end of the upper housing 26 of the disposal device It is appropriately joined to the lower end of the rubber suspension neck 16. Such a joint may include vulcanization if desired, and, in any event, a locking ring 30, having spaced, inwardly-extending legs 32 and 34, is employed to secure the rubber neck 16 to the upper housing 26 with the legs of the locking ring engaging abutting flanges 36 and 33 of the rubber neck and upper housing respectively. The lower housing 18 is proviedd with any appropriate outlet connection 40 for attachment to a Waste gathering system, not illustrated.

Household waste, such as food trimmings, is introduced to the disposal device It) through the supporting sleeve 14 from the sink 12 into a grinding chamber 42 formed by the upper housing by way of a throat defined by the resilient suspending neck 16. A stopper 44 is conveniently employed to close the passage through the suspending sleeve 14, as required. The lower end of the sleeve 14 carries an annular instruck seat 46 upon which the stopper 44 may rest. The particular stopper 44 has an annular, deformable rubber-like flange 48 which may be pressed downwardly to clear the seat 46 as shown in FIG. 1. 1n the embodiment illustrated, the rubber suspending neck 16 is provided with a yielding thin rubber diaphragm 51 carried on an integral seat 52. This diaphragm serves as a splash guard and permits the insertion of large pieces of waste by parting slits 52 therein.

The rotary grinding table 24 includes a stamped sheet steel table top 54 which is attached to the drive shaft 28 of the motor as by threading of the shaft (see FIG. 1), and by an anchor screw 56 on top of the shaft bearing upon an anchor cap 58 whose lower edge in turn bears upon the table top 54 around the screw-threaded end of the shaft 28. The table top 54 is shown as carrying two pivoted flippers or cutting impellers 64 which are disposed near the periphery of the table to cooperate with the aforementioned grind ring 22.

The pivoted flippers 69 are also so mounted with respect to the periphery of the table top 54 that, as the table is rotated in the direction from the flipper cutting edge toward the flipper pivoting point (clock-wise or in the direction of the long arrow of FIG. 4), the flippers 66 are dragged directly behind their pivoted centers n the table top 54, without being permitted to swing co pletely into an outwardly extended or radial position by reason of existing centrifugal force. With this arrangement, the trailing or swinging end of each flipper exerts a maximum grinding action in cooperation with the grind ring 22. This arrangement of the flippers on the rotary table top 54 is best seen in FIG. 4.

One end of each flipper 66' is provided with a pivot opening receiving a rivet type of pivot pin 62 mounted adjacent the periphery of the table top 54 and providing a pivot center 62a. As illustrated, each flipper includes a main body portion or arm 64 extending longitudinally of the flipper from the pivot center 62a to a free swinging end. Each flipper 60, as shown, is stamped from heavy sheet steel of such hardness that, when stamped, it yields good cutting edges adequate for long life in shredding or comminuting waste. In some instances, it may be desirable to harden or coat the flipper tips with a suitable hard-facing material. The swinging end of each flipper 60 is formed with an upstanding head 66, which produced a weighted end and provides a center of gravity or force center outward toward the swinging terminus of the swinging flipper 6% during high speed rotation.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, one portion of the upstanding head 66 extends radially or laterally outward with respect to the table 24 as the flipper 6t and its head 66 trail behind the pivot center 62a. Such laterally or radially disposed side portion of the head 66 provides a grind finger 68 having an outward vertically disposed grind edge 70, which directly cooperates with adjacent cutting means 72 integrally formed on the inner wall of the grind ring 22. The mentioned force center of each flipper 60 lies approximately at the point designated 74 in FIG. 4. The disposition of this point 74 with respect to the pivot center 62a of the pivot pin 62 is what is considered a trailing position with respect to s ch pivot center. In general, the point 74 and the pivot center 62a may be considered as defining the longitudinal or main axis of the flipper 60, and such axis may be viewed as disposed approximately perpendicularly to the table radius through the pivot center 62a, or as lying approximately along an arc of a circle drawn about the center of rotation of the table and passing through the pivot center 62a.

With the described disposition of the flipper 60, substantially the entire flipper length constitutes a leverage working under centrifugal action to drive the grind edge 70 of the grind finger 68 into operative position adjacent the cutting means 72 of the grind ring 22, such leverage or moment representing the maximum possible grinding force which the grinding finger 68 can produce or sustain.

Grinding action by each flipper 60 is facilitated by means of an upstanding advancing shoulder or wall 76 at the leading side of the grind finger 68, this wall engaging and advancing waste to be ground. The feeding of waste to the advancing wall 76 and to the grind ring 22 is aided by centrifugal force. The upstanding wall 76 is, as best seen in FIG. 4, directed perpendicularly toward the adjacent wall of the grind ring 22, but may angle off a few degrees. The feeding of the waste is, however, further facilitated by an upstanding sloping wall 78 on the inward portion of the upstanding head 66, such wall being for example inclined say 45 or 50 or thereabout to the previously mentioned main axis of the flipper arm 64. This trailing inclination, augmented by centrifugal action, acts to crowd waste being fed into the space between the head 66 and the grind ring 22 and thus positively conducts the waste to the upstanding, vertically disposed grind edge 70 which, as earlier mentioncd, directly cooperates with the cutting means 72 of the grind ring.

In addition to the upstanding walls 76 and 78 of the flipper head 66, which together provide for the feeding action, and in addition to the grind edge 70, there is provided a leading grind point 80 (see FIG. 4) which also is vertically directed but short or shallow, having a length (or height) equal only to the thickness of the sheet steel material from which the flipper is stamped. This relatively shallow grind point 80 is disposed considerably in advance of the upstanding wall 76 and its grind edge 70, providing a relatively long trailing strip of metal behind the grind point 80 which permits wear and gradual rearward recession of such short cutting edge or point 80. This short cutting point 30 commonly is subject to more wear than the upstanding cutting edge 70, making it desirable that provision be had to compensate for this greater wear. Since the flipper 60 may be stamped from tough long-wearing sheet steel, the described construction is produced without difliculty. The lower portion of the grind ring 22 is disposed about the table top 54 providing a slight cutting clearance between the grind finger 63 of the flipper 60 and the cutting means 72 of the ring itself. The cutting means 72 is made up of a plurality of substantially vertical grind lugs 82 on the inner wall of the grind ring 22 and circumferentially spaced and extending upwardly from the lower end thereof. Some of the lugs 82 have a height lubstantially equal to the height of the grind ring, while others of the lugs have a substantially less height. The inner faces 84 of the several grind lugs 82 are substantially' vertical. This vertical arrangement of the inner faces 84 of the grind lugs 82 and the similar vertical disposition of the grind edge 70 of the grind finger 68 ofthe flipper 60 are important features of the present invention. Both the short and long cutting lugs 82 are spaced around the lower portion of the grind ring 22 with downwardly directed discharge passages or notches 86 being disposed therebetween for feeding ground material from the bottom of the ring 22 into the chamber surrounding and underlying the table 24 for flushing out through the discharge connection 40 by water used in the grinding operation. The short cutting lugs 82 together define a horizontal discontinuous ledge having spaced interruptions provided by the notches 86.

Thus When the rotary table 24 is rotated at a relatively high speed, the flippers 60 pivoted thereon are thrown outward into the position illustrated in FIG. 4, where they cooperate with the cutting lugs 82 of the stationary grind ring 22.

Outward movement of each flipper 60 is limited by a downstruck stop 90 in a central portion of the flipper arm 64 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) which stop engages a cooperating stop edge 92 conveniently provided by oif-setting downwardly a corresponding portion 94 of the steel disc from which the table 24 is formed. It is desirable to provide appropriate means on each stamped flipper 60 for stabilizing the same on the table top 54. Since the table 24 is also produced from stamped sheet steel, such stabilization is effectively obtained by means of off-set portions of both the flipper and the table, and it is especially desirable that the principal operating portion of the flipper be disposed above the table and a guide portion be disposed below the table in an appropriate guideway. For this purpose, the downwardly off-set portion 94 of the table 24 is continued to form a downwardly offset arcuate guide 94a, and this guide receive a correspondingly depressed arcuate guide tailpiece or finger 96. Thus, as the table 24 rotates, the portion of the guide 94a opposite from the stop 90 leads and the free end of the guide finger 96 also leads, with respect to the trailing head 66 of the flipper.

In order to dispose the advanced end of the arcuate guide tailpiece or finger 96 below the respective position of the table 24 for stabilization purposes, the top of the table is sheared from the leading depressed end of the guide 94a so that an upper table portion lies above the arcuate guide 94a and produces a slot 98 (FIG. 5) in which the free end of ar-cuate guide finger 96 works as it moves in its seat in the guide 94a. By these means the respective flippers 60 are adequately stabilized and guided. At the same time, the upper edge of the slot 98 acts as a stop for the inward edge of the upstanding head 66 to limit inward movement of the swinging end of the flipper 60 when such movement takes place.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the rotary table 24 and its swinging flippers 60 are readily stamped from appropriately heavy sheet steel. For greater structural stability of the rotary table 24, it may be desirable when stamping the table to off-set upwardly that radial portion of the table lying forward of each pivot 62 and overlying the swinging end of the guide finger 96 when the latter isin its retracted position as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 4. Similarly it may be desirable to off-set downwardly a portion of the table forward of such upstruck or upwardly ofi-set table portion, approximately as indicated at 100.

A circular knife 102 is secured to the underside of the table 24, in position to lie between the two flippers 60 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The knife projects somewhat beyond the rotary table 24 closely underlying the lower ends of the grind lugs 82 of the grind ring 22 and at the bottoms of the several discharge notches 86. The knife 102 lying close to the bottom of the grind ring 22 shears ofl string and other fibrous materials that may not have been adequately comminuted by the action of the flippers 60 and the grind lugs 82 of the grind ring 22. The knife 102 is mounted adjacent to periphery of the table top 54 as by means of a central pin or rivet 104. Such an undercutting knife, if it does not completely and adequately sever the stringy materials, at least assists in drawing such waste through the discharge ports provided by the several notches 86 of the grind ring 22. The stamped sheet steel table 24 will ordinarily be concave as illustrated, although it might under some circumstances be flat or even possibly convex.

The upper housing 20 has a tubular upper end 106 adapted to receive waste material to be ground and a generally frusto-conical central portion 108 therebelow. The base of the upper housing 20 flares outwardly to provide a wide flange 110, which is provided with several spaced screw holes 111. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the central portion 108 of the upper housing 20 is deformed inwardly to provide a substantially helical overhanging ledge 112 on the inner face of the housing. The helical ledge 112 extends around less than one-half of the circumference of the upper housing 20 and extends from the upper end of the central portion 108 to a point adjacent the lower end of the housing adjacent the grind lugs 82 of the grind ring 22. The helical ledge 112 slopes downwardly in the direction of rotation of the circular table 24. The upper housing 20 is preferably a casting. Such a manner of fabricating facilitates the formation of the helical ledge. The integral formation of the ledge 112 with the upper housing 20 provides a simple and rugged construction. The helical ledge 112 acts to feed waste material downwardly toward the cutting flippers 60". It has been found that the overhanging ledge 112 need not be more, and is preferably less, than one-half of the circumference of the upper housing 20. A helical ledge of this length provides an adequate rate of waste feed to the grinding surfaces. A helical ledge of a greater length tends to deliver too slowly the waste material to the cutting flippers 60.

The lower housing 18 has a gently outwardly tapering upper wall 114 which is provided around its periphery with several inset screw ledges 116 having threaded screw holes that are in alignment with the corresponding screw holes of the upper housing flange 110. When the disposal device is fully assembled, screws 118 secure the upper housing to the lower housing with the annular grind ring 22 being clamped therebetween. In the assembled disposal device of the invention, the lower inner edge of the upper housing 20 is substantially in vertical alignment with the inner faces of the several grind lugs 82 of the grind ring 22. This relationship of the inner Wall of the upper housing and of the inner faces of the grind lugs 82 is a desirable feature in that it promotes grinding, increasing the efliciency of the disposal device. The flange of the upper housing 20 has on its underside an annular recess 120, which is adapted to receive a ring up-set of a gasket'member 122 disposed between the upper and lower housings 20 and 18.

The following is a description of the positioning and suspension means 9, employed for attaching the rubber suspending neck 16 to the drainage sleeve 14. When the annular seat 46 is formed in the lower end portion of the drainage sleeve 14, there results an outwardly facing annular groove into which groove is snapped a split ring 11. The peripheral portion of this ring 11 provides an upwardly facing annular seat upon which rests an inner annular portion of a mounting ring 13. For the purposes of strengthening the ring 13, it is provided with a peripheral downturned annular flange 15, which also encloses a carrying and clamping ring 17 when the parts are assembled as illustrated in FIG. 1. For'the most part, the inner edge of mounting ring 13 provides leading portions whose inner edges are flush with the outer main wall of the sleeve 14, such seating portions 19 overhanging the mentioned upper annular seat of the split snap ring 11. However, portions of the ring 13 intermediate the seating portions 19 are struck up to form upstanding lugs 21 which, at their upper ends provide inner faces which bear against the outer wall of the sink sleeve 14 to prevent edges of the seating portions 19 from slipping into the annular groove above the ring 13 and thus causing partial disengagement of the seating portions 19 from the snap ring 11. The lower portions of the lugs 21 bear upon the corresponding edge portions of the ring 11 as seen at the right of FIG. 1. Opposite each lug 21 there is provided a bolt hole to receive a threaded portion of a bolt 23. In order to provide a sufiicient number of thread convolutions, when each hole is punched, metal is directed downward in the form of a boss 25 therearound, the inner wall of this boss being threaded throughout its length and thus providing a good seat for the bolt 23. The clamp ring 17 which underlies the mounting ring 13, is retained in the illustrated clamping position by nuts 27 threaded onto the lower ends of the bolts 23. Thus, when the bolts 23 are positioned in the ring 13 and the clamp ring 17 is drawn up by the nuts 27, the parts are retained in clamping position.

The clamp ring 17 is preferably cup-shaped in cross section, such shape being provided by an outer annular upstanding flange 29 and an inner annular upstanding flange 31. The inner flange 31 is shorter than the outer flange 29 so that the exposed portion of a flange-like suspension ring 33, vulcanized in the rubber neck 16, is clamped between such flange 31 and the adjacent ring portion 13 at the time that the upper edge of the outer annular flange 29 is clamped against the underside of the corresponding portion of the mounting ring 13. By these means, the rubber suspending neck 16, which supports the disposal device, is securely suspended by the rings 13 and 17 and the bolts 23. In order to tension and seal the upper end of the sink sleeve 14 in the drain opening in the bottom of the sink, a metallic bind ring 35 is forced up against a rubber or similar sealing ring 37 by means of the upper ends of the bolts 23 which are integrally headed at 39 for rotation of the bolts independently of the nuts 27. For centering purposes the upper end of each bolt 23 is reduced to a small stud 41 to enter a corresponding small opening provided in the overlying portion of the ring 35. To accommodate different sink dimensions and other dimensions, portions of the ring 35 may be off-set downward, as seen at the right of FIG. 1, with intermediate portions as seen at the left of FIG. 1 being in the general plane of the ring. Thus the ring may be rotated as required with respect to the bolts 23.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it

will be understood that various changes, modifications,

and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: a lower housing; an upper housing having a tubular upper end for the reception of waste material to be ground and a generally frusto-conical central portion therebelow, said upper housing being sealed on and secured relative to said lower housing; an annular grind ring clamped between said upper and lower housings, the diameter of the inner wall of said grind ring being no smaller than the internal diameter of the lower inner edge of said upper housing, and having a plurality of substantially vertical grind lugs on the inner wall thereof and circumferentially spaced and extending upwardly from the lower end of said grind ring, some of said lugs having a height substantially equal to the height of said grind ring, and some of said lugs having a height substantially less than the height of said grind ring, said shorter lugs together defining a discontinuous ledge on the inner wall of the grind ring, the inner faces of said lugs being substantially vertical; a substantially circular table within said grind ring, the upper annular edge of said table being in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper ends of the shorter of said lugs; means carried by said table for impelling waste material against the surrounding grind ring, said means being provided with a substantially vertical grinding edge at the outer end thereof, said grinding edge being substantially parallel with, but spaced from, said inner faces of the higher of said lugs; and power means connected to said table and adapted to rotate the same.

2. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: a lower housing; an upper housing having a tubular upper end for the reception of waste material to be ground and a generally frusto-conical central portion therebelow, said upper housing being sealed on and secured relative to said lower housing; an annular grind ring clamped between said upper and lower housings, the diameter of the inner wall of said grind ring being no smaller than the internal diameter of the lower inner edge of said upper housing, and having a plurality of substantially vertical grind lugs on the inner wall thereof and circumferentially spaced and extending upwardly from the lower end of said grind ring, some of said lugs having a height substanlially equal to the height of said grind ring, and some of said lugs having a height substantially less than the height of said grind ring, said shorter lugs together defining a discontinuous ledge on the inner wall of the grind ring, the inner faces of said lugs being substantially vertical; a substantially circular table within said grind ring, the upper annular edge of said table being in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper ends of the shorter of said lugs; a rotatable flipper pivoted to the upper face of said table adjacent to the periphery thereof, and having a substantially vertical grinding edge at the outer end thereof, said flipper being movable between a retracted position and a grinding position in which said grinding edge is substantially parallel with, but spaced from, said inner faces of the higher of said lugs, the upper end of said grinding edge being in approximately the same horizontal plane as the upper ends of the higher of said lugs when said flipper is in grinding position; and power means connected to said table and adapted to rotate the same.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, in which the lower inner edge of said upper housing member is substantially in vertical alignment with said inner faces of said grind lugs.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2, in which the central portion of said upper housing is deformed inwardly to provide a substantially helical overhanging ledge on the inner face thereof extending around less than one-half of the circumference of the upper housing and extending from the upper end of said central portion to a point adjacent the lower inner end of said upper housing adjacent the upper ends of the higher lugs on said grind ring, said ledge sloping downwardly in the direction of rotation of the table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,680 Hammes Aug. 27, 1935 2,322,058 Powers June 15, 1943 2,476,630 Schindler July 19, 1949 2,565,322 Powers Aug. 21, 1951 2,730,308 Jordan Jan. 10, 1956 2,912,179 Jordan Nov. 10, 1959 2,973,910 Federighi et al Mar. 7, 1961 2,978,190 Brucken et al Apr. 4, 1961 

1. IN A WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE, THE COMBINATION OF: A LOWER HOUSING; AN UPPER HOUSING HAVING A TUBULAR UPPER END FOR THE RECEPTION OF WASTE MATERIAL TO BE GROUND AND A GENERALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL CENTRAL PORTION THEREBELOW, SAID UPPER HOUSING BEING SEALED ON AND SECURED RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER HOUSING; AN ANNULAR GRIND RING CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER HOUSINGS, THE DIAMETER OF THE INNER WALL OF SAID GRIND RING BEING NO SMALLER THAN THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF THE LOWER INNER EDGE OF SAID UPPER HOUSING, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL GRIND LUGS ON THE INNER WALL THEREOF AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID GRIND RING, SOME OF SAID LUGS HAVING A HEIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF SAID GRIND RING, AND SOME OF SAID LUGS HAVING A HEIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE HEIGHT OF SAID GRIND RING, SAID SHORTER LUGS TOGETHER DEFINING A DISCONTINUOUS LEDGE ON THE INNER WALL OF THE GRIND RING, THE INNER FACES OF SAID LUGS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL; A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR TABLE WITHIN SAID GRIND RING, THE UPPER ANNULAR EDGE OF SAID TABLE BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AS THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SHORTER OF SAID LUGS; MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TABLE FOR IMPELLING WASTE MATERIAL AGAINST THE SURROUNDING GRIND RING, SAID MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL GRINDING EDGE AT THE OUTER END THEREOF, SAID GRINDING EDGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH, BUT SPACED FROM, SAID INNER FACES OF THE HIGHER OF SAID LUGS; AND POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TABLE AND ADAPTED TO ROTATE THE SAME. 